memories

i've wanted to write this post for a while.  so here it goes.

memories.  they are truly something to cherish and certainly something to make. i have such fond memories of my pa crain.  i remember spending many nights with my pa and grandma betsy when i was younger.  they made my brother and i cheese popcorn and coke floats before we went to bed and waffles and bacon in the morning.  pa always took us fishing.  he always put the worm on my hook because i hated touching the worm. we even made the front page of the newspaper one summer! if it was raining, he'd take us in the basement and we'd ride our big wheels all over the place.  he and grandma took my brother and i to the mountains just so we could play in the snow.  pa crain came to the rescue when i was sick at school.  as i got older, i remember wearing make up to his house for the very first time and i'll never forget what he said. "whatcha got all that stuff on your face for?!"  i remember getting my permit and him letting me drive to get us lunch.  "elizabeth slow down! (i was going a whoppin' 35 mph), watch out for that light (that was still green), watch out for all the idiot drivers out here, put your blinker on (we weren't turning until like 3 roads up)."  memories, i tell you. they never fade.  they are embedded in my brain.  i'll never forget him meeting his very first great grandchild....although he wouldn't hold him until he was about 2 months old. my pa crain and jake had quite a bond.  you see, my pa always had my favorite things to eat at his house.  and if he knew jake was coming, he'd go buy fruit snacks, juice, and ice cream sandwiches.  pa would always take jake in the formal living room and let him play the organ, or go get out all the toys for jake to play with.

fastforward to the week before christmas.  my pa went to the doctor saying he didn't feel very well.  they couldn't find anything wrong with him.  then two days later, he slipped and fell in his bathroom and hit his head (badly).  he went to the ER and luckily didn't need stitches.  then two days later, grandma said he wouldn't get out of the bed.  she turned on the light and his lips were blue.  his fingers were blue.  he was rushed to the hospital.  pneumonia.  pa pretty much lived in the hospital/the cottages for a month after that.  he had ups and he had downs.  i kept telling him i would bring jake and allie to see him.  but then because of the flu outbreak, kids weren't allowed in the hospitals.  so finally, pa got to come home (because there was nothing more they could do).  i brought jake and allie to see him.  everyone had told pa "bye" because they knew the end was drawing near.  he was talking to "people" that weren't even in the room.  as many times as i had been to see him, i couldn't make myself tell him bye.  i just couldn't.  we let the kids play for a while and wanted it to be their decision when to go see pa.  after about 30 minutes, jake asked to go see pa. at first, jake was scared and so was allie.  but after a while jake went back in the room and colored three pictures for pa right beside pa's hospital bed.  then they both played the organ for him.  the kids left the room and it was just josh and i in the room with pa.  i leaned over kissed him on the head and said "bye pa. i love you."  he passed 30 minutes after we left.  pa was waiting.  he was waiting for jake and allie.  wow.  jake asked on the way home if pa was going to bring the pictures with him to see Jesus.  needless to say, the pictures that jake colored for pa were buried with pa.  i was told pa had them in his hands.  memories.  sweet, precious memories.